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Amy Gill
My career goals are to advance personalized cancer therapy with data-driven systems biology and improve quantitative biology education resources. I currently seek a doctoral program to enhance my bioinformatics skills, practice teaching and perform patient-centered research.
Education
M.A.T., Secondary Education - Biology
National-Louis University
Chicago, IL
2016 - 2015
M.S., Cancer Biology
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
2015 - 2011
B.A., Biological Sciences, Chemistry
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
2011 - 2007
Research Experience
Pathology Research Technician
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
2019 - 2017
- Developed and analyzed custom mouse models of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in the Wu laboratory.
- Produced high-titer CRISPR-Cas9 lentivirus. Purified and transduced hematopoietic stem cells for transplant into immunodeficient mice.
- Developed and executed flow cytometry protocols to classify B cell lineages, track CLL progression, enrich for HSCs, and distinguish donor and recipient cells va the CD45 system.
Research Technician
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
2017 - 2016
- Studied zebrafish development to investigate the homology between fish fins and tetrapod digits in the Shubin lab.
- Performed summer and weekend (part-time) zebrafish husbandry and genotyping of CRISPR-generated Hoxa13a/Hoxa13b double mutant fish.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
2014 - 2011
- Investigated the role of Blimp1 (PRDM1) in radiogenic stress response to analyze its role in protection from radiogenic breast cancer in the Onel/Cunningham lab.
- Demonstrated that Blimp1 primary transcript, mRNA and protein expression increase after IR exposure; designed Blimp1 shRNAs and inducible overexpression vectors and transduced cell lines.
- Performed proteomic analysis of cytarabine chemotherapy response in lymphoblastoid cells using microwestern arrays (MWAs) in the Jones lab.
Undergraduate Researcher
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
2011 - 2007
- Studied the cellular uptake of VO(acac)2 to analyze its application as a contrast agent in PET scans in the Makinen lab. Demonstrated that VO(acac)2 enters the cell via the reduced folate carrier (RFC) protein using Western blots and RFC inhibitors.
- Analyzed epigenetic differences in high-risk versus low-risk neuroblastoma cell lines and tumors with bisulfite sequencing in the Cohn lab.
Peer-reviewed Publications
- Splicing modulation sensitizes chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells to venetoclax by remodeling mitochondrial apoptotic dependencies. Ten Hacken E et al. (2018), JCI Insight 3(19).
- Identification of Novel Protein Expression Changes Following Cisplatin Treatment and Application to Combination Therapy. Stark AL et al (2017). Journal of Proteome Research, 16(11): 4227-4236.
- Truncated DNMT3B isoform DNMT3B7 suppresses growth, induces differentiation, and alters DNA methylation in human neuroblastoma.. Ostler KR et al (2012). Cancer Research 72(18): 4714-23.
Posters and Presentations
- The role of PRDM1 in protection against radiogenic breast cancer. Oral presentation, Dept. Pediatric Hem/Onc, UChicago (2014).
- The role of Blimp1 in protection against ionizing radiation in breast cells. Poster, Biomedical Sciences Retreat, UChicago (2014).
- Systems analysis of cytarabine response and resistance in hematopoietic cells. Poster, Biomedical Sciences Retreat, UChicago (2013).
Teaching Experience
Lead Content Developer, Data Science Professional Program
HarvardX
Cambridge, MA
2020 - 2019
- Maintain, revise and expand online content for the Data Science Professional Certificate and Genomics Data Analysis MOOC series from HarvardX on edX, including dozens of new coding exercises based on case studies.
- Added a variety of new data sets to the dslabs package for teaching data science in R, comprehensively edited the Introduction to Data Science textbook, and am co-authoring the textbook solution guide.
Science Lab Coordinator
Adlai E. Stevenson High School
Lincolnshire, IL
2017 - 2016
- Prepared laboratory chemicals and materials, tested and improved protocols, and maintained laboratory equipment for 49 high school science teachers with 4000+ students.
- Updated labs to incorporate modern scientific techniques, probeware, and inquiry-based principles into the high school curriculum.
- Tutored homebound students for biology, chemistry, and anatomy/physiology and offered private science tutoring.
Teaching Assistant
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
2014 - 2009
- Assisted with numerous undergraduate and 1st year PhD graduate courses.
- Prepared and taught weekly review sessions and exam preparation sessions, helped write exams, graded assignments and exams, fielded student questions, held office hours, and tutored students 1:1.
- Courses: Endocrinology/Cell Signaling (4x), Biological Systems, Protein Fundamentals, and Cancer Biology Grant Writing